Opening Remarks By H.E. Amb. Josefa Sacko Commissioner at the Recs Consultation Meeting on The CAADP Post-Malabo

10 Nov 2023 - 17:55

Honorable El-Quseir, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Arab Republic of Egypt and Chair of the STC ARDWE Bureau
Honorable Ministers
Heads of the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) or their Representatives
Distinguished participants
Ladies and gentlemen
All protocosl observed

On behalf of His Excellency Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission and my own behalf, I welcome you to the AUC, AUDA-NEPAD, RECs Consultation Meeting on the CAADP Post-Malabo.

As you are all aware, we have two years remaining to close-off the Malabo declaration; our Member States are far from achieving the set seven Malabo commitments, and this calls for a robust intervention on what we could possibly do, to support them stay the course in their agricultural performance, and create evidence based solutions where we can draw lessons to enable a strong Post-Malabo agenda.

Let me start by recalling briefly the historical context as indicated in my letter of invitation to this meeting. Following its declaration by African Heads of State and Government on 11 July 2003, in Maputo, Mozambique, the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) has been a pivotal framework for catalysing agricultural transformation across the continent. Building upon the Maputo Declaration, the Malabo Declaration was presented during the 23rd General Assembly of the African Union Heads of State and Government in 2014, leading to the adoption of the Malabo Declaration that made seven bold commitments with the first one being a recommitment to CAADP.

While the Malabo declaration was a continuity of the Maputo Declaration, it introduced substantial modifications, expanding the CAADP focus, scope, content, goals, targets, and implementation modalities. It emphasized mutual accountability among stakeholders, and introduced ambitious commitments to eradicate hunger, reduce child malnutrition, halve poverty by 2025, triple intra-African trade, enhance resilience to climate variability and other shocks, among others.

Clearly, CAADP maintains its primary focus on agriculture, encompassing livestock, forestry, and fisheries, while recognizing the pivotal role of related sectors such as infrastructure, trade, energy, rural development, and ICT in facilitating agricultural growth. Its overarching objectives are to reinvigorate agricultural growth, ensure food security, and promote rural development across Africa.

The emergence of crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, conflicts, and climate change impacts, led to the Common Africa Position, outlining over 40 solutions and a Post-Summit Rollout Plan. Key policy directions include multisectoral coordination and the expansion of local food markets, encapsulated in an accessible policy document for Union ratification, providing a clear roadmap for food system transformation in Africa.

In line with the emerging trends, the time remaining for the Malabo Declaration to expire, and given that the CAADP Agenda is fully embedded into the African Union Agenda 2063, it is important that we discuss the roadmap leading to the design of a Post-Malabo agenda.

During this consultation meeting, the Commission will present the Concept Note, including a Roadmap for the design of a Post-Malabo Agenda. This Concept Note will serve as the base document for an open discussion and feedback on steps in the roadmap. The meeting is expected to lead to proposed amendments, if any. Decisions and conclusions of this meeting will be taken forward to the STC for approval of the roadmap which will serve as our guide in the design of the Post-Malabo Agenda.

Let us be critical, but constructive. Let us be bold, but realistic. Let us be open minded, and aware of constraints that may arise.

I would not end these remarks without thanking each and everyone of you for your unrelenting support to this process, not only now, but over the years.

Thank You

Shukran

Obrigada

Merci

NOW